The Martin Wise Goodman Canadian Nieman Fellowship at Harvard

WINNER NAMED FOR TWENTY SEVENTH

MARTIN WISE GOODMAN CANADIAN NIEMAN FELLOWSHIP

 

The trustees of the Martin Wise Goodman Trust announce that RACHEL PULFER, Executive Director of Journalists for Human Rights, has been awarded the twenty seventh Martin Wise Goodman Canadian Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University.

This fellowship is funded by a publicly subscribed permanent endowment in memory of Martin Wise Goodman, late President of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited.

Ms. Pulfer will join the 86^th class of Nieman Fellows at Harvard University. The fellowship carries a stipend for living expenses and payment of fees to Harvard University.

                                             photo credit Celine Kim

 "This is just extraordinary news,” Ms. Pulfer said after the Canadian Nieman Fellowship Selection committee awarded her the biennial fellowship. “I'm deeply grateful to the Goodman family for their support of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and humbled by being chosen as this year's Canadian Nieman Fellow. Thank you to the Martin Wise Goodman Trust, and the Nieman Foundation, for supporting me in my work at the intersection of journalism, human rights, development and media freedoms at this critical juncture for democracy and human rights worldwide. I greatly look forward to the year ahead, and hope to make a meaningful contribution, both to the Nieman community and to these fields, during the fellowship and afterwards." While at Harvard, Ms. Pulfer will study the intersection of journalism, human rights and international development, with a focus on how human rights journalism can help inform and improve local and global political decisions and policymaking, in and for developing countries.

Rachel Pulfer is the Executive Director for Journalists for Human Rights, where she oversaw an expansion in media development programming from Africa to North America, the Middle East and Central Asia. She arrived at JHR in 2010 after 11 years as a reporter and editor for Canadian Business, the Walrus, Azure and the Montreal Gazette. She has written on topics ranging from human rights and international development to the intersection of business and public policy. She has received a 2022 honorary degree in journalism from Loyalist College in Ontario and the Michener Baxter Award for Excellence in Public Service Journalism.

The Nieman Fellowships were established for American journalists in 1938 in memory of Lucius W. Nieman, founder of the Milwaukee Journal. It provides for a year of study for working journalists in any department of Harvard University as well as a seminar program. Previous to the founding of the Martin Wise Goodman Canadian Nieman Fellowship in 1982, thirteen Canadian journalists had gone to Harvard on this program under other funding, including Martin Goodman (Nieman fellow class of '62).

“Rachel’s impressive career to date has exemplified a deep commitment to both the practice of journalism, but also to the journalistic community around the world”, said Jonathan Goodman, Chair of the Canadian Nieman Fellowship.  “Rachel makes journalism better; a year at Harvard University as a Nieman Fellow representing Canada, will only amplify and radiate her future impact on the profession.

This year’s Canadian Nieman Fellowship Selection committee consisted of Anne Marie Lipinski, Curator, The Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University; Ed Greenspon, President and CEO, Public Policy Forum; Malcom Kirk, President of Canadian Press; Douglas Knight, Chair and CEO of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards; Laura Lynch, Host of CBC’s What on Earth, Karyn Pugliese, Editor-in-Chief of Canadaland; David Skok, CEO & Editor-in-Chief at the Logic; Jonathan Goodman, Global Chair of Monitor Deloitte and Chair of the Canadian Nieman Fellowship; Lauren Goodman, Administrator of the Canadian Nieman Fellowship; and Janis Goodman, wife of the late Martin Goodman. Each of Laura Lynch, Karyn Pugliese and David Skok are former Martin Wise Goodman Canadian Nieman Fellows.

Meet the Class of 2024